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Bass Fishing Hall of Famer Iaconelli extends his tourney season at Bassmaster Kayak event on Susquehanna River

Brian Carter
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Bass Fishing Hall of Famer Iaconelli extends his tourney season at Bassmaster Kayak event on Susquehanna River

Legendary angler Mike Iaconelli will be among the field when the Susquehanna River hosts the Yamaha Rightwaters Bassmaster Kayak Series powered by TourneyX October 7-8, 2023. 

Photo by B.A.S.S.

October 6, 2023

Bass Fishing Hall of Famer Iaconelli extends his tourney season at Bassmaster Kayak event on Susquehanna

LEWISBURG, Pa. — Mike Iaconelli isn’t ready just yet for the annual “offseason” of the Bassmaster Elite Series. This weekend, Iaconelli will compete on what he claims to be home turf on the Susquehanna River at the Yamaha Rightwaters Bassmaster Kayak Series powered by TourneyX just days after being inducted into the Bass Fishing Hall of Fame. 

Joining Pittsgrove, New Jersey’s Iaconelli in the tournament will be fellow Elite pro Greg DiPalma of Millville, N.J., who currently sits third in the Dakota Lithium Bassmaster Kayak Series Angler of the Year points race.

The playing field is the upper reaches of the massive river that concludes as a tidal fishery where it empties into the Upper Chesapeake Bay where Iaconelli won a 2021 Bassmaster Kayak Series event. Iaconelli is so passionate about kayak tournament fishing that his trophy sits beside his Bassmaster Classic trophy as a testimony to its value in his Hall of Fame fishing career. 

“I got into kayak fishing about 12 years ago because it fills a lot of voids for me,” Iaconelli said. “It reminds me of how I grew up fishing small waters in canoes, and it enables me to stay competitive, which I need.” 

Like anything else he does, Iaconelli got serious about his kayak fishing gear. Hobie even designed the Mirage Pro Angler 14 360 Mike Iaconelli Edition from which he competes. He competes with the same level of energy that he brings to the Elite Series, and not just because that defines his angling persona. 

“I’ve had people ask me during practice why I’m going down a level, backwards in my level of competing,” Iaconelli said. “That’s not it at all, because these kayak anglers are as good and competitive in their craft as the Elite guys. 

“These kayak dudes put in just as much work, are just as competitive, and when you beat them, you’ve accomplished something legitimate.” 

Iaconelli grew up in the Philadelphia area and when he returned to his angling roots, annual pilgrimages to the Susquehanna were a summertime ritual. 

“The upper river is a real gem; I’ve fished up here for about 15 years now,” he said. “What makes it so great is, in the stretch where we compete, it isn’t accessible to a fiberglass bass boat, which also deters tournament pressure. 

“The tournament stretch is also catch-and-release only, and it’s not uncommon to catch over 50 smallmouth a day.” 

Iaconelli described the tournament zone as relatively shallow, with moderate current, ultra-clear water and rocky habitat, making it ideal for river smallmouth. The section supports a healthy ecosystem of forage, including shad, redhorse sucker chubs and river shiner, adding to the viability of the smallmouth fishery. 

On his first practice day, Iaconelli caught 50 smallmouth, and he identified two priorities in focus for completing his game plan. 

“First, I’m looking for a stretch of river that has quality smallmouth, and by that, I mean 16- to 18-inchers, compared to the 12- and 14-inchers that are common,” he said. “Second, I’m looking for concentrations of bait that are beginning to form into schools for the fall period.”

Iaconelli planned to fish a different section of the river each of his allotted practice days to find that combination of needs. Current is a key ingredient to making those two come together in the same place. 

“Smallmouth here will move 10, 15 miles to find bait, and that’s easy for them because they just swim and float downstream with the current, just like the baitfish do,” he said. “When they find the bait, they school up and feed in that same area.” 

Find the bait, find the bass. That’s a textbook approach to fall fishing anywhere. On the upper Susquehanna, Iaconelli will also key in on current breaks that form the textbook ambush points for smallmouth as the bait comes downstream. 

He sees two emerging patterns in play, both with the overarching theme of a fall bite that is underway — power fishing for smallmouth on the move and a finesse approach for the ultra-clear water. 

“The river is low and clear, and finesse fishing will be a dominant pattern for catching wary fish,” Iaconelli said. 

The weather could be a factor in the event. A low-pressure system will move across the area over the weekend, bringing showers and a significant change in temperatures. Nighttime lows on Saturday night will drop to the mid-40s. A 10-degree temperature drop is forecasted for the Sunday finale, with highs in the mid-50s. 

Competition days are scheduled for October 7-8, with the final berths to the 2024 Yamaha Rightwaters Bassmaster Kayak Series Championship powered by TourneyX to be awarded and the 2023 Dakota Lithium Bassmaster Kayak Series Angler of the Year to be decided. The live leaderboard can be found on Bassmaster.com throughout the tournament, with the awards ceremony streaming live on the Bassmaster YouTube channel October 8 at 5 p.m. ET.

The tournament is being sponsored by the Susquehanna River Valley Visitors Bureau.  



5 Baits to make your Fall fishing a Success.

Brian Carter
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5 Baits to make your Fall fishing a Success.

By Jacob Stephens

Finally, Fall is here!!! This is my favorite time of year to be on the water. Not only are the lakes less crowded, it’s a welcomed relief from the hot temps of Summer. Fall is also a great time to land some nice Bass. I’ve put together a list of some of my go-to Fall baits that help me have a successful day on the water.

  1. Dropshot.
    This is something I keep on the deck of my boat year-round. I may fish it differently or use different plastics during the year, but it’s always nearby. One thing that stays the same, though, is how it’s rigged. I use a 2/0 Spearpoint GP Finesse hook and a RattleShot weight from Drop Zone Tackle. These hooks are amazing at keeping fish hooked up and the rattling weight helps get the attention of fish, especially in stained or muddy water. As for the plastics, I generally use a smaller soft plastic with a dropshot. I’ll either have a Missile Baits Quiver 4.5 or a Missile Baits 4” Mini Magic Worm rigged up with a little extra scent from ProLine Baits Bass Series scent. I have had great success with both, so I normally end up switching between those 2 and let the fish tell me which one they prefer.
  1. 2. Crawfish Baits
    • It’s no secret that Bass love Crawfish. Many people will throw a jig in the Fall, and there’s nothing wrong with that. I’m not a big Jig Fisherman. I’ve caught some nice fish using Jigs, I just don’t like fishing them. So, what works for me, is a Missile Baits Chunky D rigged on a Rattle Rig from Drop Zone Tackle. The Rattle Rig is a Jika Rig made with the same rattling weight as the RattleShot. I love throwing this bait onto a rocky point or rocky bank and slowly dragging it back to the boat. If I feel the lure bump any type of structure, I’ll give it a couple short hops which makes the weight rattle while keeping the bait close to the structure.

3. Wacky Rig

Probably one of the most simple, but effective lures to use is a Wacky Rigged Senko. It’s no secret that this lure catches fish, so it’s no surprise that it’s on my Fall baits list. Early fall can still be pretty warm here in Virginia. With that, I’ve had good luck pulling bass out from under docks on warmer, sunny days. I’ll also throw it near stumps, rocks, or laydowns in case the bass want a slower presentation. This is also a great follow-up bait if you miss a fish on topwater, or see Bass chasing shad near the surface. I almost always use a Gary Yamamoto Senko and a 2/0 Spearpoint GP Finesse hook. I also like to add some Bass Series scent from ProLine Baits to help get the Bass’ attention.

4. Crankbaits

Everyone has a favorite brand or style of crankbait. I love the SPRO Little John series cranks. This bait is great for covering lots of water and I’ve caught some very nice Bass in the Fall and thru mid-Winter on a crankbait. I’ll throw my crankbait just about anywhere on the lake, but main lake points and banks have been the best for me. If I see baitfish in the backs of creeks, you can bet I’m going to head back and fish there, but Main Lake areas have been the most productive for me. There is also the option of a Lipless Crankbait. This is another lure that I know works, and I’ll throw it at times, but I’d much rather throw a regular crankbait that dives anywhere from 7-12’.

5. Swimbait

This is a lure that I just gained confidence in about a year ago. Before then, I’d thrown some, but never really felt comfortable using them. I decided to give it another try and I’ve caught some nice Bass since then. I still can’t get into the really big swimbaits, but maybe one day I’ll get there. For now, my favorite swimbait is a Keitech Swing Impact Fat 3.3”. I’ll sometimes step up to a 3.8” version but I’ve had much better luck with the 3.3”. I rig mine a little differently than most people that I’ve seen. I do not like an exposed hook. I wanted something I could throw around/under docks, beside or over top of brushpiles/laydowns, and around rocks as well. I started using a 1/8 oz. Bullet Type head with a 1/0 hook. Some may think that hook is too small, but I’ve only had 1 fail me, and that was the biggest Striper I’ve ever hooked. Using this type head, I can rig the swimbait like you would a Texas rigged plastic. This keeps the point of the hook covered so I’ve rarely had this get hung up. I also add a little Bass Series scent from ProLine Baits to get the attention of Bass that may not be exactly where I cast. This swimbait is also a great trailer for Chatterbaits and Spinnerbaits. If there is a lot of wind or moving water, I’ll step up to a 3/16 oz. head and usually the larger 3.8” swimbait. Occasionally, I’ll use a swimbait head with an underspin, especially on windy days (My first cast with this setup landed me a check for Big Fish in a kayak tournament a couple years ago). I’ve had most success using this towards the end of Fall, all the way thru early Spring.
While the fishing can be outstanding in the Fall (probably my favorite time of year to fish), be mindful of the cooler temps. Mornings are usually foggy due to chilly air and warmer waters. Also be aware of cool days and cooler water temps later in the Fall. Keep extra clothes on hand (I keep a dry bag in my boat year-round). You never know when you may go for an accidental swim so you have to be prepared.

And of course, wear your PFD!!!



Bassmaster Opens season finale offers different look at Florida’s Harris Chain of Lakes

Brian Carter
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Bassmaster Opens season finale offers different look at Florida’s Harris Chain of Lakes

Anglers will have one more opportunity to qualify for the 2024 Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Toyota and earn their way onto the Elite Series at the 2023 St. Croix Bassmaster Open at Harris Chain of Lakes Oct. 12-14. 

Photo by Chase Sansom/B.A.S.S.

October 5, 2023

Bassmaster Opens season finale offers different look at Florida’s Harris Chain of Lakes

LEESBURG, Fla. — It’s a familiar venue in a less-familiar time frame, but anglers should find the St. Croix Bassmaster Open at Harris Chain of Lakes rich with opportunity.

Competition days will be Oct. 12-14 with daily takeoffs from Ski Beach at 7:30 a.m. ET and weigh-ins each day back at the launch site at 3:30 p.m. Full coverage will be available on Bassmaster.com with FS1 broadcasting live with the leaders on Saturday morning beginning at 8 a.m.

Recent years have seen all levels of Bassmaster tournaments, from the High School and Junior series to the Elite Series, visit the Harris Chain. All, however, have been spring events, so this season-ending finale presents the field with an atypical shot at Florida fall fishing.

“Fall opens everything up,” said Lakeland, Florida’s Bobby Lane, who lives about an hour from Harris Chain. “I don’t see anyone winning it off of one spot. The beautiful thing about the Harris Chain of Lakes is you have shellbars, brushpiles, Kissimmee grass, buggy whips, docks, canals — you have everything.

“The local tournament weights have been OK for this time of the year. Nothing out of the ordinary, but nice stringers are coming in.”

Comprising eight lakes — Harris, Griffin, Eustis, Dora, Beauclair, Carlton, Apopka and Yale — the chain covers approximately 75,000 acres. All but Yale are linked by rivers and canals, so there’s plenty of room to spread out. While Lane believes much of this central Florida gem could contribute to the winning limit, he’s fairly certain no one lake will dominate the show.

“Normally, you can predict where it will go down. In the spring, we see Apopka become a huge player with the big fish up shallow,” Lane said. “There’s a huge group of fish in Apopka, but with the run from the takeoff site in Lake Harris, you only get three or four hours to fish.

“That creates a challenge in the fall because you need a little more time to fish. You might catch one or two big ones early, then you might catch one at noon, then you catch one at 1 or 2 o’clock, and somewhere in between you need a 2-plus-pounder to go with all of that.”

Basically, anyone investing the time to run down to Lake Apopka or north to Lake Griffin must calculate the idle time through the connecting waterways they’d have to traverse. Time management is critical, and if anything goes wrong, the trip could turn into a big goose egg.

“You’re cutting your time so short, if you’re really not on ’em or, for some reason, something isn’t the same as it was the day before, you’re putting yourself in jeopardy,” Lane said. “Even if you fish closer in Lake Dora, Lake Beauclair or Lake Eustis, all of those canals take time to idle.

“That opens everything up, and it’s going to make for a lot of fun. A lot of burning gas. No one’s going to roll up on a shellbar and win the tournament.”

Wherever anglers end up, Lane said the Harris Chain water bodies are in good shape, largely due to favorable vegetation levels. From non-native hydrilla to native eelgrass, the lakes benefit from water filtration, along with vast habitat for bass and the forage they seek.

“The Harris Chain of Lakes is in great condition. We’re starting to get some grass back in all the lakes,” Lane said. “This year, we’ve had more grass than we’ve had in a while. I attribute that to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) believing in bass fishing and doing a good job of managing the (invasive submersed aquatic vegetation).

“Aquatic vegetation can take over, but it can be maintained in certain areas. I think it makes for a healthy fishery and a good pleasure boat scenario.”

As Lane points out, the spring season puts an emphasis on shallow cover, but bass utilize Florida grass throughout the year. While shallow areas with scattered hard bottom attract a lot of fish during the spawn and prespawn, autumn brings another set of dynamics.

“In the fall, you deal with wind,” Lane said. “It blows bait from one end of the lake to the other. If you can find the grass with the bait in it, the bass will move to these areas.

“The wonderful thing about aquatic vegetation is that bass don’t need to leave, so you can have a great bass population there. The grass contributes to a great fishery and it leads to better weights across the board.”

Lane said the fall season definitely opens up tactical possibilities, as many of the fish will be scattered and disjointed. He’s looking for topwaters like the Berkley Cane Walker or Choppo to get a good workout, while flipping shallow cover always plays on Florida lakes.

Offshore, anglers will target deeper grass, shellbars and subtle contour changes with bladed jigs, big worms and drop shots. Lane suggests pairing a diverse arsenal with an open mind.

“There’s a lot of fish to catch, but it’s going to boil down to that 4-plus-pound fish,” Lane said. “In spring, we would talk about a 6- or 7-pound fish (when more large bass move shallow to spawn), but this time of year, a 4-pounder is a big fish.

“This time of year, they get off the bank, they roam around, they suspend, they just eat bait out in the middle of the lake. They swim around shellbars and brushpiles. They kind of have the whole lake to do whatever they want until it’s time to head to the bank and spawn.”

Given the lack of concentrated giants, Lane predicts 15 1/2 to 16 pounds a day will make the Top 10 cut and 18 a day will win. However it shakes out, this season finale will see dreams flourish and fizzle.

In addition to the top cash prize, the top pro will receive an automatic berth in the 2024 Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Toyota scheduled for March 22-24 on Grand Lake O’ the Cherokees near Tulsa, Okla.

Also, this tournament decides the final Elite Qualifiers (EQ) points totals for the season. Anglers who committed to all 2023 St. Croix Bassmaster Opens events (three divisions with three events in each) will be eligible for one of nine Elite Series invitations based on the EQ standings.

JT Thompkins of Myrtle Beach, S.C., leads the Bassmaster Open Elite Qualifiers standings with 1,480 points. He is followed by John Garrett of Union City, Tenn., (1,461), Trey McKinney of Carbondale, Ill., (1,417), Robert Gee of Knoxville, Tenn., (1,372) and Japanese pro Kenta Kimura (1,355).

The tournament is being hosted by Visit Lake, the City of Leesburg and the Greater Orlando Sports Commission.



The Art of Throwing Giant Swim Baits in the Fall: A Comprehensive Tutorial

Brian Carter
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The Art of Throwing Giant Swim Baits in the Fall: A Comprehensive Tutorial

Introduction:
As the seasons transition and nature undergoes its vibrant transformation, bass fishing enthusiasts eagerly anticipate the Fall. During this time, throwing giant swim baits can prove to be highly effective in enticing and catching trophy-sized bass. In this tutorial, we will delve into the reasons behind this strategy and explore the techniques and tips to maximize your success with giant swim baits during the Fall season.

Understanding the Fall Feeding Patterns:
The Fall season triggers significant changes in bass behavior as they prepare for the upcoming winter. One crucial factor is the abundance of baitfish, particularly shad, which grow plump and migrate to shallower areas seeking refuge. As a result, bass become more active and chase these baitfish to fatten up for the colder months. By imitating the larger profile of these abundant shad, giant swim baits can effectively trigger the feeding instincts of bass during Fall.

Selecting the Right Giant Swim Bait:
Choosing the appropriate swim bait is crucial for successfully targeting bass during the Fall. It’s important to match the size and color of the prevalent baitfish species in your fishing area. Research the local baitfish and select a swim bait that closely mimics their appearance. Additionally, look for swim baits with realistic swimming actions and lifelike features to entice bass effectively. Experiment with different swim bait styles, such as paddle tails, jointed bodies, or multi-jointed designs, to determine what works best in your specific fishing location.

Gear and Tackle Setup:
To handle the larger swim bait and the potential trophy-sized bass, selecting the right gear and tackle is essential. Opt for a medium to heavy-action rod with a fast or extra-fast tip. This will provide the necessary backbone for accurate casting and effective hook sets. Pair the rod with a high-quality baitcasting reel that offers smooth drag and a high line capacity. When it comes to line selection, choose a braided line with a pound test suitable for your target bass size, as it provides better sensitivity and strength for controlling larger fish. To reduce visibility and prevent line abrasion, attach a fluorocarbon leader to the braided line.

Presentation Techniques:
Mastering the presentation techniques is crucial for successfully enticing bass with giant swim baits. Start by casting the giant swim bait near the areas where baitfish congregate, such as shallow flats, drop-offs, submerged structure, or points. Retrieve the swim bait at a moderate speed, mimicking the natural swimming action of the baitfish. Incorporate occasional pauses and erratic movements to imitate wounded or distressed prey, which can trigger the predatory instincts of bass. Vary your retrieve depth by adjusting the speed and utilizing different retrieves, such as slow-rolling, steady reeling, or intermittent jerks, to trigger reactionary strikes.

Location and Timing:
To maximize your chances of success, it’s important to focus on specific areas and consider the timing when throwing giant swim baits in the Fall. Concentrate your efforts on areas where baitfish are abundant, such as creek mouths, coves, and shallow banks adjacent to deeper water. These areas often provide prime feeding grounds for bass during the Fall. Monitor the water temperature as well and target transition zones where cooler water meets warmer water, as bass tend to congregate in these areas during this season. Pay attention to weather conditions, as overcast days, intermittent rain showers, and cooler temperatures can enhance your chances of success.

Patience and Persistence:
Throwing giant swim baits in the Fall requires patience and persistence. It may take time to locate key feeding areas and trigger strikes from larger bass. Be prepared to experiment with different colors, retrieve speeds, and depths to adapt to changing conditions and bass preferences. Stay observant and adapt your approach based on the feedback you receive from the fish. Remember, success in fishing often requires patience, adaptability, and a willingness to experiment.

Conclusion:
By understanding the Fall feeding patterns, selecting the right giant swim bait, and employing effective presentation techniques, you can increase your chances of catching trophy-sized bass during this season. Remember to focus on areas with abundant baitfish, adapt to changing conditions, and be patient and persistent in your approach. With practice and perseverance, throwing giant swim baits in the Fall can become a highly rewarding and exciting aspect of your bass fishing repertoire.



Team takes top honors in late September event with Northland’s Reed-Runner Walking Frog.

Brian Carter
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Team takes top honors in late September event with Northland’s Reed-Runner Walking Frog.
Fall Frogging
Team takes top honors in late September event with Northland’s Reed-Runner Walking Frog.
BEMIDJI, Minn. (October 4, 2023) – Yankee, or shall we say “up north” bass often go underappreciated. Sure, it’s the land of walleyes, muskies, pike, and ice fishing, but if you’re a student of the sport, it’s impossible that the Midwest’s massive fish have gone unnoticed.The north’s bass bounty was evidenced again in the Battle of the Bassheads tournament on Minnesota’s Cass Lake Chain in late September. Northland Fishing Tackle’s Sam Larsen and Joey Ohman teamed up to take the crown with a humungous catch of largemouth bass – the majority caught on Northland’s Reed-Runner Walking Frog. During the one day event, the duo focused on out-of-the-way areas where they found tight groups of fish. “With a tough bite and up against 50 other boats, we centered on unpressured wild rice beds and worked them thoroughly,” said Northland Visual Marketing Coordinator and Product Development Manager, Larsen.Larsen and Ohman built up most of their poundage on Reed-Runner Walking Frogs in thick cover. “The Reed Runner Frog came in clutch in these areas because the hook sits tight to the body making it super weedless,” said Larsen. “If the hook doesn’t stay close to the body it makes fishing wild rice almost impossible. The key was working the bait somewhat slow through the weeds with occasional pauses.”Both competitors favored dark patterns: Ohman threw Loon and Larsen Blackbird. “Additionally, we give a lot of credit to the softness of the body and the strength and sharpness of the hooks. We only dumped one fish all day, which is good when fishing heavy cover,” said Larsen. 
REED-RUNNER WALKING FROG (BLACKBIRD)
REED-RUNNER WALKING FROG (LOON)
REED-RUNNER WALKING and POPPING FROGSWith topwater mayhem on the mind, we talked to frequent frogger and member of the fishy Peterson family, Travis Peterson, to tout the merits of the Reed-Runner Walking and Popping Frogs, and what makes this action-packed bait class so special.“First off, the hookup ratio is incredible,” said Peterson of the Walking and Popping Frog’s high catch-versus-miss rates. “The bodies are both extremely collapsible and durable, which is a perfect combination.” Peterson goes on to tout the quality of the hooks. And, unique to only the finest frogs, the Walking and Popping Frog’s hooks couch tight to the body for supreme weedless operation. “They have the ultimate hook and body combo for weedless fishing,” professes Peterson. Moreover, he says the frogs maintain peak performance regardless of retrieval speed. 
In Peterson Country – northern Minnesota – lakes vary from moderately fertile mesotrophic to more lived-in, weedier eutrophic varieties. In both cases, emergent vegetation is infused with largemouth bass. He fishes frogs in conventional lily pad fields, as well as wild rice, bullrushes and reeds. Frogs elicit explosions in shallower coontail and milfoil as well. All told, Peterson frogs vegetated realms in four feet of water and under. Within these jungles, he focuses energy on “anything different.” In pads, that means pockets and places where submerged vegetation comingles with the surface weeds. He never passes on clumps of mixed weed types. Denser clusters of pads often produce, too. The Popping version has specific applications, too. Peterson admires the plugging action in sparser weeds to call bass from afar. He prefers the popper in reeds and rushes as well. And, when bass are walled-up in impenetrable cattails, Peterson throws tight to the edge and creates a scene they simply must swim out and investigate. Northland offers the Reed-Runner Walking and Popping Frogs in an array of patterns, each emulating critters that bass are known to consume. Peterson pairs this information with his personal preferences. “I like the more solid colors like Lab Rat and Loon. They’re the most visible on the top of long casts. I can see the baits disappear when a fish inhales. The glittered bottoms of the Perch and Bluegill flash like a struggling fish and do well in areas where bass are foraging on fish.” And, of course, you can match-the-hatch with Northland’s more traditional, realistic frog patterns.
Effective frogging is much more than chunking it out and giving it the heave-ho on a blow up. Peterson explains: “Don’t be in big hurry to set the hook. You’ll miss a lot of them. I make long casts, keeping the rod tip up at about 11 o’clock once the bait hits the water. This forces you to pause, leaving the fish a little slack line to work with. Then I drop the rod tip, point it at the fish, give the reel two or three cranks, set hard, and lean back and reel.” Done properly, you’ll keep the fish from burrowing in the weeds, and hopefully, popping it to the surface. Before putting the pins to ‘em, Peterson coaxes bass to participate in the immortal explosion. “In dense vegetation, I use a steady retrieve back to the boat,” he explains. “I’ll slow it down over likely strike zones, like pockets and thick spots, and porpoise the bait in clearings where I’m sure there’s a fish.”If a fish swirls and shrugs it off or totally misses, Peterson rinses and repeats, throwing right back at it. If he’s convinced the fish is still there but not fully committing to the frog, he goes to a pre-rigged Northland Jungle Jig and plastic as the preferred throwback presentation. Peterson’s frogging gear is no nonsense. He spools a preferred baitcaster reel with 50-to-65-lb. braid and ties direct. His rods are 7 ½-to-8-foot medium-heavy and heavy. 
View Online Version



#NORTHLANDTACKLE

Chris Inscoe & Allen White Win CATT Waccamaw River, SC Sept 30, 2023

Brian Carter
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Chris Inscoe & Allen White Win CATT Waccamaw River, SC Sept 30, 2023

Next is the 2023 CATT Old North Fall Final Oct 28th at Jordan Lake! You only had to enter 1 Qualifier to be eligible to enter the Final! Looks like we have 29 teams Qualified!

Clay Ausely & Ken McNeil win the Points and will receive free entry to all 2024 Old North Fall Qualifiers!

Chris Inscoe & Allen White take 1st Place at Falls Lake with 5 bass weighing 17.22 lbs worth $1,200.00!

Dale Delaney & Mike Salguero weighed in the BF at 7.10 lbs!

TeamBFWeightWinningsPoints
Chris Inscoe – Allen White0.0017.22$1,200.00110
Josh Hooks – TJ Smith5.1117.10$570.00109
Seth Ellis – Doug Stallings0.0014.76108
Clay Ausely-  Ken McNeil5.3014.11$36.00107
Dale Delaney – Mike Salguero7.1013.47$84.00106
Roby Wyatt – Mike Prytula0.009.48105
Thomas Sheffer – Craig Leff0.008.17104
John McClelland – Larry Godfrey0.007.15103
Ricky Parker – Jody George0.000.00102
Jay Erikson – A Erickson0.000.00101
Manny Lenau0.000.0091
Matt Dean – Bobby Houser0.000.0091
Charles Stewart0.000.0091
Total Entrys$1,820.00
BONUS $$500.00
Total Paid At Ramp$1,890.00
Old North 2023 Fall Final Fund$330.00
CATT$50.00
2024 CATT Championship Fund$50.00
2024 Old North Fall Final Fund Total$920.00



Jeff & Jacob Norris Win CATT Lake Wateree, SC Sept 30, 2023

Brian Carter
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Jeff & Jacob Norris Win CATT Lake Wateree, SC Sept 30, 2023

Next Lake Wateree Fall CATT is Oct 7 at Clearwater Cove Marina!

Jeff & Jacob Norris weighed in 5 bass at 19.55 lbs taking the win at Lake Wateree!

Todd Bulter & Jeffrey Furr finished 2nd with 14.13 lbs and weighed the Academy BF at 4.19 lbs!

TeamBFWeightWinningsPoints
Jeff Norris & Jacob Norris4.3319.55$474.00110
Todd Butler & Jeffrey Furr 4.9114.13$176.00109
Sonny Beam3.449.27108
Chase Wallace & Dana Wallce3.076.40107
Darrell Fenton2.286.38106
Jeff Waldron & Stephen Lahr0.000.0096
Greg Sigmon0.000.0096
Scott Williams & Robbie English0.000.0096
Total Entrys$640.00
BONUS $$150.00
Total Paid At Ramp$650.00
2023 Wateree Fall Final Fund$90.00
CATT$50.00
2023 CATT Championship$0.00
2023 Wateree Fall Fund Total$90.00



Moore & Bowman Win 5 Alive  / STATE CONSTRUCTION Fall Trail  Tournament #2  –  Kerr Lake 

Brian Carter
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Moore & Bowman Win 5 Alive  / STATE CONSTRUCTION Fall Trail  Tournament #2  –  Kerr Lake 

5 Alive  / STATE CONSTRUCTION Fall Trail  Tournament #2  –  Kerr Lake  –  9/30/23

( Full Results and updated points standings in pictures below)

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We had our 2nd tournament of the 5 tournament series of the STATE CONSTRUCTION Fall Trail last Saturday at Kerr Lake.  As expected the Ol’ big pond was TOUGH again.

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Weights were down but seemed to be consistent for the most part. Weather was perfect tho! We had 35 teams show up Saturday to see if they could top the field.  At the end of the day it was the team of Joey Moore & Ronald Bowman that stood along at the top. They had a 5 fish limit weighing 12.75 pounds. That earned them a total of $1450.00 with the TWT.  GOOD job guys on a tough day. Well deserved! We had a two way tie for 2nd place. The team of Dalton & Dalton had a 5 fish limit for 12.35 pounds and Tim Staton fishing alone had a 5 fish limit weighing 12.35 pounds.  They both weighed in a big fish and the team of Dalton & Dalton  had the bigger fish getting them 2nd place. That earned them $475.00. HOLD UP!!!! They opted out on the TWT that morning costing them 2nd place TWT money worth $275.00

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That’s 2 tournaments in a row that a team has missed out on the TWT money

?‍♂️

The top 7 teams were separated by just over 1 pound.

Big fish was won by the team of Gray Williams & Derrick Currin  with a small mouth weighing  4.40 pounds  earning them $350.00

Want to say BIG CONGRATULATIONS to all the teams who placed on Saturday!!
Also want to say Thank you to everyone that came out to fish with us.

Our next tournament will be on October 29, 2023 at Hyco Lake.
Yall come on out and fish with us!

Results!
1st. Moore & Bowman – 12.75 pounds- $1450.00 TWT
2nd. Dalton  & Dalton – 12.35 pounds – $475.00
3rd. Tim Staton – 12.35 pounds – $575.00 TWT
4th. Williams & Currin – 12.20 pounds – $175.00
5th. Mayton & Smith – 11.75 pounds – $130.00
6th. Dalton & West – 11.65 pounds – $110.00
7th. Little & Anderson – 11.40 pounds – $100.00

Big Fish
Williams & Currin – 4.40 pounds  – $350.0

Phoenix Bass Fishing League Regional Tournament Set for Alabama’s Lake Eufaula

Brian Carter
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Phoenix Bass Fishing League Regional Tournament Set for Alabama’s Lake Eufaula
“The Bass Capital of the World” Set to Host 200 Boaters and Strike King Co-anglers from Four BFL Divisions Competing for Spot in 2024 BFL All-American, Top Prize of $60,000

EUFAULA, Ala. (Oct. 4, 2023) – The Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) Presented by T-H Marine’s Choo Choo, Gator, Music City and Savannah River divisions will finish out the 2023 season in Eufaula, Alabama, Oct. 12-14, with the Phoenix BFL Presented by T-H Marine Regional Event at Lake Eufaula.

Hosted by the Eufaula Barbour County Chamber of Commerce, the three-day regional tournament will feature the top 45 boaters and co-anglers plus tournament winners from all four divisions, battling it out for a top prize of $60,000, including a Phoenix 819 Pro bass boat with a 200-horsepower Mercury outboard and $10,000, along with lucrative contingency awards, including up to an additional $7,000 Phoenix MLF Bonus. Strike King co-anglers will compete for a top prize of $50,000, including a Phoenix 819 Pro bass boat with a 200-horsepower Mercury outboard. Winners will be determined by the heaviest three-day catch.

The top six finishers in each regional will qualify for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American. The highest finishing boater from each division will also receive a $1,000 bonus and the highest finishing co-angler from each division will receive a $500 bonus.

“I think this tournament is likely going to be a feast- or famine-type event,” said MLF pro Braxton Setzer of Wetumpka, Alabama. “Fall fishing in Alabama is very fun, but it can be tough. I think we’ll see some guys really catch them, but I many guys in the field may not do so hot.

“The fish are scattered out, so we’ll probably see anglers doing a little bit of everything,” Setzer continued. “From offshore with the forward-facing sonar to way up shallow, it’s really a toss up between the two patterns. I think if a guy gets on the right deal up shallow, he could run away with it.”

Setzer said that he’d have a squarebill crankbait and topwater or walking bait tied on, like a 5-inch Yo-Zuri Pencil, to target the cypress trees and shallow cover. If he moved out offshore, he’d throw a Yo-Zuri 3+ or 4+ crankbait and a Rabid Baits shakey-head rig.

“Typically, if a guy can get into the upper teens – 17 or 18 pounds a day – he’ll be feeling pretty good about his week,” Setzer went on to say. “But that being said, there are plenty of very big fish in Lake Eufaula so it could definitely take even more.”

Anglers will launch at 7 a.m. CT each morning from Lakepoint Resort State Park, located at 104 Lakepoint Drive, in Eufaula, Alabama. Weigh-ins will also be held at the landing and will begin at 3 p.m. Fans are welcome to attend the event or follow the action online through the “MLF Live” weigh-in broadcasts at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

The 2023 MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine consisted of 24-divisions devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 tournaments throughout the season and five qualifying events in each division. The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers from each division, along with the five winners of the qualifying events, advance to one of six Phoenix Bass Fishing League Regionals. The 2024 BFL All-American will be held May 29-31 at Cherokee Lake in Jefferson County, Tennessee

The top boaters and Strike King co-anglers from each Phoenix Bass Fishing League division will also earn priority entry into the Toyota Series, the pathway to the Tackle Warehouse Invitationals and ultimately the Bass Pro Tour.
For complete details and updated information visit MajorLeagueFishing.com.

Proud sponsors of the 2023 MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine include: 13 Fishing, Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, Black Rifle Coffee, E3, Epic Baits, Favorite Fishing, General Tire, Grundéns, Gill, Lew’s, Lowrance, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Mystik Lubricants, Onyx, Phoenix, Polaris, Power-Pole, Strike King, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, Wiley X and YETI.

For complete details and updated tournament information, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular Bass Fishing League updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF5’s social media outlets at Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.



Bassmaster Classic takes 2023 SportsTravel award for Best Professional Event

Brian Carter
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Bassmaster Classic takes 2023 SportsTravel award for Best Professional Event

The 2023 Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Toyota has been recognized as the Best Professional Event in the annual SportsTravel Awards. 

Photo by Dalton Tumblin/B.A.S.S.

October 4, 2023

Bassmaster Classic takes 2023 SportsTravel award for Best Professional Event

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — The 2023 Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Toyota was honored as the “Best Professional Event” at the annual SportsTravel Awards. The awards recognize the best events, venue and host city in the sports-event industry. The NCAA Women’s Final Four and Salt Lake City, host of the 2023 NBA All-Star Weekend, were among the event’s other honorees.

“There is just no way to overstate the significance of the Bassmaster Classic to the sport of bass fishing, fishing fans, host communities and the sportfishing industry as a whole, and we are thrilled to see this iconic tournament recognized as the best professional sports event in the country,” said Chase Anderson, CEO of B.A.S.S.

“We’re thrilled to see the Bassmaster Classic mentioned alongside the Stanley Cup Finals, Super Bowl and World Cup, which have all won this same award previously. This is a true testament to the hard work of the B.A.S.S. team, talented professional anglers, dedicated sponsors and our partnership with Visit Knoxville. It also shows what our organization has known and proven for more than 50 years — fishing and the outdoor industry are a win for fans and local economies.”

The Bassmaster Classic not only welcomed a staggering crowd of 163,914 fans to Classic Week activities across Knoxville, Tenn., but also reached 4.5 million viewers across the two days of FOX and FS1 coverage. Bassmaster.com and the B.A.S.S. social media channels also broke records for engagement as fans devoured content on the web and social channels. During the 2023 Bassmaster Classic, records were set for social media impressions, engagement and video views as well as BassTrakk page views and streams of Bassmaster LIVE coverage — 1.2 million streams for more than 32.7 million minutes across Bassmaster.com, Tubi and the FOX Sports digital platforms.

The Super Bowl of Bass Fishing has also proven itself as one of the best investments in sports.

According to numbers released by Visit Knoxville, the Bassmaster Classic generated an economic windfall of more than $35.5 million for the community. In addition to producing more than $2.85 million in state and local tax revenue, including taxes on sales, restaurant purchases and lodging, the 2023 Bassmaster Classic and associated activities supported a total of 12,698 jobs.

Fans traveling from across the nation and as far away as Australia and Japan also accounted for 31,525 room nights at hotels across Knox County.

“The SportsTravel Awards recognize the stars of the sports-event industry,” said Jason Gewirtz, vice president of the Sports Division of Northstar Travel Group, which publishes SportsTravel magazine, in a release by the organization. “As events began to come back in 2022, we were thrilled to see hundreds of worthy events nominated for this year’s awards. The winners in each category exemplify everything that we love about the sports-event industry and underscore the resiliency and power of the sports-related travel market.”

The SportsTravel Awards are nominated and voted on by the readers of SportsTravel magazine. Criteria included superior organization of and attendance at the event and competitor and/or spectator experience.



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